Yesterday my buddy Allen and I rented Harley's and spent the day riding around the island. He chose from an '08 Street Glide while I got an '06 Road King. Whereas Allen's bike was rather nimble and smooth, riding mine was like driving a two-wheeled Duece-and-a-Half. But it was a great day. Rode around the shoreline of the Island for most of the way until we had to skirt around Andersen Air Force Base....but we stopped for lunch at Jeff's Pirates Cove.
Came back sunburned and a little sore, so in our infinite wisdom, we decided that was the night to also check out the local 'wildlife'. Good thing the next day was Sunday.
Guam is a nice place to visit, but hot. Damn hot. It's a pretty interesting mix of Chamorro and American culture with a buttload of Japanese tourists thrown in the mix. Corrugated tin is big here, as well as Catholic saints and 4x4's. They don't call it the trailer park of Micronesia for nothing.
Here's a little slice of what Guam looks like.
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| View from my hotel balcony |
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| Asan Landing Site, Re-occupation of Guam |
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| Asan Landing Site |
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| Agat Beachhead Memorial |
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| Japanese AA Gun overlooking Agat Beachhead |
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| Umatac Cove |
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| Fort Nuestra de la Soledad |
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| Bear Rock |
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| Ritidan Point |
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| We opted not to swim at Ritidan Point |
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| Mt Machanao |
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| Me and the Road King |
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| Allen's Street Glide |
My experience of Guam was a couple of hours at the airport while I was enroute to Viet Nam, and one of my doctors at the VA is from Agana. He finds our winters somewhat...taxing?
ReplyDeleteNy oldest son spent some time there and on Yap as part of a Seabee detachment, but started going "island happy" after a couple of months, he said.
Back in the 90's he was part of a color guard that went to the Phillipines for some ceremony or another. The Phillipinos insisted on Seabeas as the American presence, and he was one of the ones who went.
At some point their Phillipino laison officer was asked why Seabees were the flavor of choice, and this man said that there was an "official" reason for this request,but the actual reason was tat in five hundred years of Western involvement in the Pacific the Seabees were the only ones that did things that actually worked.
I believe the SeaBees are still quite welcomed here. Guam is an unusual place, you get the tropical island feel....almost like another nation...and then you have US currency, K-mart, Winchell's Donuts, Taco Bell....you name it.
ReplyDeleteThey don't have a $$%@@!! Starbucks, to their shame.
I'm definitely happy that I had the occasion to come here!
Love that danger notice. Straight to the point!
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